FG, marketers agree to end petrol scarcity next week

The Federal Government and petrol marketers on Friday agreed to put an end to Nigeria’s fuel scarcity problems before the close of business next week Saturday.

At the end of the meeting with the marketers and other operators in the oil and gas sector, all sides agreed to work speedily to end the shortage that has hit the hardest in Abuja and Lagos.

Oil marketers said they have dispatched 700 trucks of petrol to Abuja as part of efforts to end the scarcity.

According to a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, signed by Taiye Haruna, permanent secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the marketers agreed to begin to deliver fuel products to all parts of the country immediately.

The statement said the meeting was tagged “Queue must go stakeholders’ platform”.

It said that the Petroleum Products Marketing Company in conjunction with marketers, major and independent, have agreed to increase the level of supply to all retail outlets nationwide with immediate effect.

It also stated that the meeting also directed marketers to move 700 trucks of petrol to Abuja with immediate effect.

It noted that one of the major constraints to distribution was the logjam at Apapa –Oshodi expressway in Lagos.

“We have agreed to work with the Lagos State Government, Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) and NARTO to clear the logjam at Apapa,” the communique stated.

“Currently we have over 2,000 trucks on that road waiting to take fuel at the depot.

“Trucks are at Apapa to load products but could not get product but we fashioned out modality to clear the logjam in conjunction with other stakeholders,” it stated.

The communiqué said the measure would enable the marketers start loading and moving products out of the depot to the hinterland.

“We have enough stocks that can last for 23 days; also we agreed to set up the committee of stakeholders to monitor the loading and delivering of products nationwide.

“We have also agreed that efforts will be made to clear this long before the end of June,” the communiqué declared.